At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, Tyler Perry is reminding us that success doesn’t mean forgetting where you came from.
On Sunday night, during an early screening of his latest film, “Finding Joy,” at Regal Atlantic Station in Atlanta, the billionaire filmmaker and philanthropist paused his introduction to speak from the heart about something much heavier than Hollywood.
“I know we’re about to watch a fun movie. I just want to shift gears for just a minute,” Perry told the audience, per Hollywood Reporter. “I’m very, very concerned about [these] SNAP benefits for so many people who need them. And I just want you to know if you know somebody who is on SNAP, what I’m hearing is that if you have money left on your SNAP, WIC card or however that works, if you do not spend it by the fifth, it could be gone.”
Perry, who has often shared his own experiences of poverty growing up in New Orleans, made clear that his concern extends beyond charity.
“I just feel sad that there are so many people, children, and elderly people who are not getting these benefits when they need to. … Please, please just, just try and help whoever you can because I’m doing a lot to see what I can do.”
As theGrio previously reported, millions of Americans face massive cuts or delays to their food stamp benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown, despite the White House opting to issue partial payments. The stakes are exceptionally high for Black Americans, who, despite only representing 12% of the population, make up more than a quarter of SNAP recipients, classifying them as the largest ethnic or racial group in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Although Perry ultimately shifted the focus back to the screening of his film, “Find Joy,” the filmmaker is not the first celebrity or notable figure to sound the alarm about the SNAP benefits freeze and its impact on communities across the country. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, comedian Michael Che, content creator Keith Lee, Pastor Jamal Bryant, and more have amplified this issue.
